The present invention relates to integrally molded fender covers and steps that are preferably used in industrial vehicles such as forklifts.
An industrial vehicle such as a forklift includes a step on which the operator steps when mounting and leaving the vehicle. The step is provided at one side of the vehicle""s body frame. As shown in FIG. 6, a typical forklift has a step 9 located rearward relative to a fender 41 that extends above a corresponding front wheel (not shown). A fender cover 8 is mounted on the fender 41.
The step 9 includes a floor panel 91 and a side wall 92. The floor panel 91 has an inner edge 911 located inward from the exterior of the forklift 4 and a rear edge 912 located rearward in the forklift proceeding direction. The side wall 92 extends along the inner edge 911 and the rear edge 912 and projects upward from the floor panel 91. For securing the step 9 to the body frame, a front portion 913 of the step 9 opposed to the rear edge 912 is fitted to a bottom 81 of the fender cover 8 secured to the fender 41. Furthermore, a front end 922 of the side wall 92 that faces the fender cover 8 is fitted to a rear side 82 of the fender cover 8 facing rearward in the forklift proceeding direction. In this state, the step 9 is securely fixed to the fender cover 8. A pillar cover 5 extends from top of the fender cover 8 and encompasses a pillar 43 projecting upward from the fender 41. The pillar 43 supports a head guard (not shown) that extends above the operator seat.
Since the step 9 is separate from the fender cover 8, a coupling portion 99 extends between the front portion 913 of the floor panel 91 and the bottom 81 of the fender cover 8 and between the front end 922 of the side wall 92 and the rear side 82 of the fender cover 8. This coupling portion 99 enables foreign objects such as rain water or dust on the step 9 to enter a space below the step 9. No electric devices including motors and controllers are thus allowed in the space below the step 9. That is, this space is not efficiently used.
Furthermore, since the step 9 must be shaped to match the fender cover 8 and the fender 41, designing of the step 9 is complicated. In addition, the step 9 must be positioned accurately with respect to the fender cover 8 when securing the step 9 to the body frame. This lowers the work efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a fender cover and a step that are formed as one body through molding for preventing foreign objects from entering a space below the step and for simplifying installation of the fender cover and step in a body frame.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a molded body used in an industrial vehicle. The molded body includes a fender cover and a step. The fender cover and the step are integrated.
The present invention also provides an industrial vehicle including a fender cover mounted on a fender of the vehicle and a step located at a side of the vehicle body to be located rearward relative to the fender cover. The step is integrated with the fender cover.